Chrystal chronicles Riding
by Xlade
Summary: a girl saddleing and riding a horse? yes, improtant


Disclaimer: OK, here we go. Firesky, Baburi, Spiritsong,Genesis,Shadowheart are mine, please doan use hem without permission. Kit,Brian,Ryan,and others are Kit's. the Mighty Ducks go to(drum roll please) Disney.  
  
  
  
centerRiding  
By: Firesky/center  
  
Firesky abandoned the stairs,sliding down the rail. When she reached the bottom she called out" Duke!"  
He stuck his head ot of the kitchen" Over here. I'm trying to make slushburgers,could ya give me a hand."  
" kit won't be to hapy with us." Firseky went into the kitchen" Yipes. This place is a mess! Well, first, do you have a mix?"  
" No."  
" Okay, Kill the slushburger idea . You got enough meat fried for two boxes of Hamburger Helper." Firsky pulled three boxes out of a cupboard" pick." Duke grabbed the Mexican one." How did I guess." Firesky took the lasgana box.  
  
Half and hour later, Kit took one look at the food" Oh, you Just HAD to make Hamburger Helper."  
" Kit, i made ya a salad." firesky tolf her. Joan laughed" This is neat. I've never had this much food before."  
" Your kidding." Brian loked at her.Joan shok her head" No, I'm not. Mr.Dodo would give me a couple bucks and tell me to find something ta eat."  
"That's it?!" Firesky gasped. Jaon nodded. " Before that, when I was seven, I lived with my foster parents. But when they died-" Kit cut in" Foster parents?'  
" u, they had horses, and taught me everything I know aobut riding. After they died, I had to go live with HIM, actually, he's Doug's brother, but you wouldn't know it by meeting him."  
" So, you can handle horses?" Brian asked joan. She gave him a Look" I just told you that. I can rope, pole bend, barrel race, take care of them, jump, brand, work cattle, you name it."  
  
Duke had this puzzled look on his ace" Tell me that in English."  
" it was."  
Firesky gave Duke a spmpathetic gri" it's Ok Duke. we all know you weren't raised right."  
" Hey!" Duke jumped up and charged up his sword. iresky looked up at him" Duke, that's not scaring me."  
Joan was shocked, was he actually going too? As if she read joans mind Kit told her' Joan, he's not gonna hurt her. I hope."  
  
" First, let me explain what I ment aobut that remark." Sarah gazed cooly at Duke." I ment you weren't raised around horses, pure and simple."  
Duke growled and truned off is sword." whatever."  
  
"C'mon, lets take ya ta the stabes to meet the horses.Sarah " sarah started clearing the table.  
  
  
" Wow" was all Joan had to say when she saw the blue trimmed two story barn. Sarah grinned " ig huh?"  
" Big is an understatement."   
  
"whoah!" Duke jumped as the walked in and a large black head was put over the stall door next to him. Kit laughed "you  
ve been fighting Chamealeon too long. This is Johny Boy, one of the ponies."  
" Big isn't he?" Duke looked at the black head. Kit shook her head "no. NOt really." Sarah went over to another stal and motionedf or Duke to look " This guy is big Duke. " Duke lloked at the 16 hh horse and backed off. Joan laughed " you don't like horses do ya?"  
" No."  
Then Joan noticed the nameplate fo brass on the stall.  
Baburi Fleetwind  
Firesky Whitewing  
" Wow. Firesky wehitewing! She's like, the second best defense on the Mighty Ducks."  
Duke nodded " Don't I know it."  
Brian chuckled. " Joan, you wanna tack up a horse for him?"  
" No really, that's fine." Duke held up his ands. Kit turned "you wan me ta go ta the movies with ya? HGet on the dang horse when it's tacked up."  
Joan went to get the hosrse ready for Duke and came bacl later with a medium sized blood bay gelding with a snip. Duke was arguing with a tall tan feathered famale duck. " oh sure, go blow our cover!"  
" Hmph! I don't care. I hate that person. " the duck shuddered " CCan't used my magic that waay. Joan gasped " Firesky Whiteiwng!"  
" in the feathers." the duck grinned an d led a tall black horse form the stall next to her. Joan handed her reins to Duke and he followed Kit and Firsky out into the chilly sunlight. Brina ut a hand on Joans shoulder " lket's ee how good you are with horses. Pick one and tack up."  
Joan wakled down the row of stalls, talking ot the hosrses, letting htem sniff her hand, scratching their heads. At the end of the row was a larde stall holding a tall sorrel stallion. Joan stopped " who's this?"  
" Spritsong, Drake Icefire's horse. I wouldn't try him though. the only perosn who can handle him is kit." Joan glared at Brian 'you told me ta pick."  
" Just don't do nutting stupid."  
  
Joan unlatched the stall dorr and slipped in. hey boy." sh whispered, holding out aflat hand. The hosrse snorted and sniffend it. Joan chuckled you must be a horse with alot of enrgy."  
Brian gaped. Nobody but kit could get this close to Spirit with out getting teeth shown at them. Joan came back to him 'so?"  
" tack up."  
  
Joa slipped out of the stall and follwed Brian to the tack room. He motioned for her to get her stuff, providing she knew what to get, and she grinned. " let's see." she picked up a 27 inch western saddled, a tom thumb macarte, a couple saddle pads and a halter." this good?"  
" yup."  
Joan slung the sadddle over her shoulder and went back to the stall, depositing the bridle and saddle on the tack box next to it.  
" Hey guy. me again." she slipped into the stall and held out her had to Spiritsong. He sniffed it the nuzzled her shloulder. Joan chuckled and dug an apple peel out form somewhere. Spirit liiped it up, then searched her pockets for more.   
" halter?'" Joan asked Brian. he handed it to her. JAon moved to Spirit's right side and pulled the halter over his head, biting the strap , holding it there while she reached over his head for the strap. Biting it , she reached for the buckle and buckled the halter. Brian opened the stall door, amazed, for the two to come out into the hall. Joan clipped another lead to Spirit's halter and crosstied him. After brushing him down with a brush from the tack box, she picked up the saddle pads and swung them up, landing them on Spirit's withers. next she hooked the left stirup over the saddle horn and swung it up over Spirit's withers. Sliding everything back a little, she pulled the mane from under the saddle. Next she leaned under Spirit and grabbed the fornt cinch, pulling it to her side. Holding the cinch, Joan took the long leather strap and fed it through the D-ring, over and under she went, from D-ring, to D-ring. After about five of these, Jaon braced herself and pulled the strap tight. after af ew seconds, she started with the strap again. After pulling it tight the second time, she slipped the strap through a ring next to where it was sttached to the saddle.  
JOan moved onto the back cinch, reaching under Spirit's belly and grabbing the thck peice of leather. She buckled that one and look at Brian." Bridle?"  
He ahnded it to her. Joan unbuckled the halter and slipped the noseband off his nose. She then rebuckled it around his neck.  
Taking the headstall of the macarte in her hand, Joan took the bit in her other hand.  
" OK boy, this is where ya put your head down for me." Joan put one arm over his neck to force his head down. After a moment of resistance, the horse lowered his head. Joan slipped the headstall over his ears and stuck her thumb in the corner of his mouth " Say ah."  
Spirit opend his mouth and Joan slipped in the bit. Then she pulled his ears through the top of the headstall and buckled the throatlatch.  
" good boy."  
" wow." was all Brina had ta say.  
" told ya i could work horses."  
' NO, it's not that. i knew you could handle horses when ya saddled up for Duke. But Spirit." he shook his head.  
" can i ride or what?" Joan asked.  
  
Duke was really glad they were almost back to the house. This horse had a trot like a jack in the box. Ug! And on top of that,(besides the fact he could hardly ride) Kit and Fire had chattered on about horses nonstop. They roundedd the barn just then.  
" One que-" Firesky cut off what she was saying, staring at the outdoor riding rink.  
" wha?" Kit's jaw dropped.  
In the ring was a sorrel horse, with a person on his back.  
" Kit, tell me i'm seeingthings." Firesky mumbled.  
" if you are, then i am too."  
"huh?' Duke hoped they would have an easy explaination for this.  
" We told ya aobut Spiritsong right?"  
"yea."  
" well, that's him. And Joan's on him."  
The three trotted down to the corral.  
  
Joan looked up from talking with Brian to see Kit, fire and Duke coming towards them. She had ta laugh. while Fire and Kit rode with the easy confidence of long practice, Dukes posting was painful to evan watch.  
  
  
Kit grinned at Joan" If ya can handle Spirit, I say Brian should hire ya."  
" heh, She's already been hired." Brian told his sister.  
" Doan forget Donna." Firesky reminded Kit.  
" Oh yea. heh, Spirits harder ta handle than Donna, and She's human!"  
"Donna?"  
" Biggest brat in da world. Specs people ta cut her food for her, not ta mention take care of her horse.." Firesky grumbled.  
"hmm." Joan looked at Brian.  
Firesky perked up. "hey,. let's show Duke what we ment by pole bending.!"  
"Do I have a choice?" Brian groaned.  
" nO."  
" Fine by me." joan said." does this guy neckreign?"  
" Like a charm." Kit replied.  
  
A set of poles appeared out in the ring. Joan trotted Spirit over to the gates and sat. looking at the things. They were in a straight line, and the goal was to move thorught htem without knowcking them over. suddenly sshe lficked her latigo straps and Spitit took off. They loped up to the far end pole and turned, weaving back and forth through the poles, never breaking pace or touchin one. at the other end, Joan turned Spirit and they went back to the top. Once there Joan flicked the latigo stpa agian and the ran to the gate.  
" that's pole bending?' duke wasn't impressed. Firesky chuckled" It's harder than it looks. this proves ya weren't raisesd around horses."  
" this guy is great!" Joan siad as she pulled up in forn tof them.'  
" that's nice." Duke replied.He sounded really vauge  
" what is is?" Fire asked.  
Duke pointed up." the Raptor."  
  
Authors note: hehe. you might be wondering why i devoted an entire chapter to Joan saddling a horse. Well, I needed it. If your wondering aobut eny of the terms in here, email me. Aoh yrea, it's not lariet, it's catch rope, repaat catch rope, not lariet. 


End file.
